Your To Do List Before The Race

YOUR TO-DO LIST BEFORE THE RACE

1) Get a full tune-up for your bike. A complete tune-up is the best way to minimize chances of getting a complicated mechanical during the race. GFNY mechanics have seen broken chains, derailleur problems, broken spokes, and many other difficult mechanical issues during the race. For a mechanical problem that you can’t easily fix yourself, one that involves rolling support to reach you, it may mean a wait of anywhere between 5-30 minutes. It’s an awful feeling to stand on the side of the road while other people are riding by.

2) Check your tires. If your tires show signs of wear, we recommend putting on new tires for the race. You don’t want to spend all this time training, maybe traveling to NYC for the race, and then get flats on race day because of old tires.

3) Attach the bike plate to the front of your handlebars. Be sure that the zip ties are attached the right way and they hold the bike plate in place. Pull your bike plate to ensure it’s securely attached to your bike.

4) Put your bib number on the back pockets of your 2017 race jersey. Attach the bib number on your non-dominant side. If you’re right-handed, attach the bib number to your left and center pockets.

5) Pack your race nutrition. The GFNY start area does not have any food or drink, make sure you bring enough for your way to the start line. If you have any specific dietary / sports nutrition needs, bring them with you.

6) Plan your race morning. We recommend arriving at the start area no later than 5:30am. This will give you enough time to go to the bathroom, check your bag if you want, clear security and get into your start corral. At 7.00am, we close the corrals. If you pass security after that, you will be routed to the last corral. If you’re taking public transportation to the start, check how long the trip will take and if you’re staying in a hotel, check where to buy breakfast early on a Sunday.

7) Check the weather forecast. Make sure you have the right gear to get you through the race. We always carry a mylar blanket in our bike tool bag in case of unexpected inclement weather.